Currently, disposable absorbent pants are manufactured and marketed for wear by toddlers and young children who are not yet toilet trained, older children who are experiencing childhood enuresis, and adults suffering from incontinence. A disposable absorbent pant usually includes a central chassis having a core formed of absorbent material, enveloped between a liquid permeable, wearer-facing topsheet, and a liquid impermeable, outer- or garment-facing backsheet. The chassis is usually adapted to be positioned on the wearer such that it wraps between the wearer's legs and upwardly about the lower torso, such that the front and rear ends extend toward the wearer's waistline in the front and rear, respectively. The chassis is often joined to a pair of side/hip panels that connect front and rear regions of the chassis on either side thereof, thereby forming a pant structure. In many current designs, the side/hip panels are manufactured so as to be elastically extensible in the lateral direction, providing stretchability that eases donning, while providing a relatively snug and comfortable fit once donned. Disposable absorbent pants are usually manufactured in one of two differing overall configurations.
In the first configuration, the backsheet and topsheet of the central chassis structure extend to, and form, the front and rear waist edges of the pant in the regions near the wearer's navel in the front, and small of the back in the rear. Separate and discrete side/hip panels are joined to longitudinal (side) edges of the central chassis structure in its front and rear regions, joining them to form the pant structure. An example of this type of configuration is currently manufactured and sold in the United States by The Procter & Gamble Company under the trademark PAMPERS EASY UPS.
In the second configuration, the central chassis structure does not extend to, or form, the front and rear waist edges of the pant. Rather, an elasticized belt structure entirely encircles the wearer's waist and forms the waist edge about the entire pant, and the side/hip panels. The central chassis is joined to the belt structure, usually on the inside thereof, with its ends disposed at locations in the front and rear waist regions somewhat below the waist edges of the belt structure. This second configuration is sometimes known as a “belt” or “balloon” configuration (hereinafter, “belt” configuration). An example of this type of configuration is currently manufactured and sold in Asia by The Procter & Gamble Company under the trademark PAMPERS, and also by Unicharm Corporation under the trademark MAMY POKO.
While both configurations have their advantages, in some circumstances a belt configuration may be deemed desirable. Among other advantages, because the encircling belt may be made elastically extensible in the lateral direction, considerable elastic stretch and contraction as well as targeted elastic profiles may be provided entirely about the wearer's waist.
For purposes of optimal fit, appearance and containment, it may be desired that a pant have elastic extensibility not only laterally hoop-wise about the waist and hips, but also hoop-wise about each of the legs, so as to provide an elasticized leg band or leg band-like structure. This may be accomplished by incorporating elastic members into the structure that at least partially encircle the leg openings, in addition to the laterally extending elastic members encircling the waist opening. Although some currently manufactured belt configuration pants include such an arrangement of elastic members, they could be deemed to have a rough or unfinished appearance, or are inefficient to manufacture, or both. For example, some current designs have elastic members that continue across front and rear regions of the chassis, having no important function and creating an unsightly appearance.
Therefore, improvements to the design of disposable absorbent pants of a belt configuration, that provide for elasticized leg band-like features that and also efficient manufacturability, would be advantageous.